In The End
by madamcake
Summary: Life goes on after high school.
1. His Chello

**I will finish my other story, Affection, I'm just having major writers block on chapters 4 and 5. Anyways this is in a normal AU I guess. I just really needed to write something lighter and sweeter after 3.0. Rated mature for later content.**

"Ikari Shinji."

The brunette stood up, then proceeded to walk through the isle he sat at to climb up the stairs to the large elevated stage in the auditorium. He bowed respectfully to the principle, graciously taking his diploma.

"Thank you very much, sir." He said, voice flat and unwavering.

It was not too terribly much longer until a familiar name was uttered like his, "Nagisa Kaworu."

He watched with fixed vision as the pale boy did as he did, though much more cheery and heartfelt. He took his diploma with delicate fingers making sure to take make the slightest dent in the precious paper.

Shinji wished he could stand by Kaworu, but it wouldn't be long until they could anyways. The rest of the ceremony was tedious but Shinji could live with it. His singing voice was horrible so he just mouthed the farewell song, a light blush caressing his face when a squeak erupted from his silent lips on accident.

He could hear the faint chuckle from the most familiar voice he knew from just across the line of classmates.

"Shinji..." The voice was silky, music to his ears, "Shinji are you sure?"

He turned to see Kaworu, they had just been let out, high school was over, "Ya." He breathed, certain.

"The music collage is three hours away..." Kaworu's eyes pleaded with him silently, "You play the chello just as well as I play the piano."

"I just wanna be normal." Shinji replied, closing his eyes as a gentle breeze soothed his face, "We can text and write."

He knew it would be impossible for them to stay in touch forever, he didn't want to weigh Kaworu down. Truth be told, he had applied to the same collage Kaworu had, just to see if he could, like a backup plan. He loved the Chello and he was good at it, but that wasn't enough. He just couldn't see the Chello as a career, he couldn't see himself in any career. He was just going to go and find a small job and live normal, go with the flow.

Shinji stuck his hand out, "Let's shake." He said, his smile genuine.

The other timidly began to reach out, his hand was so close. Then they touched. Kaworu quickly pulled him forward, hugging him tightly. Shinji's eyes began to burn with the start of tears but he held them back, for his best friend's sake.

"Don't worry you can visit me on your breaks."

That was a lie, he knew Kaworu would have forgotten him by then, gotten and girlfriend and found no reason to visit his childhood friend who was three hours away. Kaworu nodded anyway, it was a mystery whether he believed him or not. Or maybe it wasn't.

Kaworu had always followed after Shinji like a dog, loyal, his best friend. He listened to whatever Shinji said with no question and rarely asked for anything in return.

"I leave in a week. Maybe you could sleep over at my house for my last few days here...?" Kaworu asked hesitantly, his words slow.

Shinji nodded quickly, no reason to turn him down, "Let's stop by the convenience store first."

At the convenience store they got a few bags of chips and some pre made meals, Kaworu didn't have a kitchen in his apartment. Kaworu had been abandoned as a child and left with his grandmother who later died, leaving him all alone. Shinji on the other hand lived with his aunt and uncle, he disliked them though, just as they disliked him. After his mother had passed away his father had disappeared, nowhere to be found.

The unlocking of the most familiar door to him shot him back to reality, "Kaaay!" Kaworu said, flitting his feet through mounds of trash.

"You never clean when I'm not around. I hope you get a good roommate."

Kaworu's movements paused after hearing that, the click of the heavy door closing echoing through the one room apartment.

"I don't care about that." He finally said, his cheery smile unwavering, lost in what seemed to be a false hope.

Shinji shrugged as he sat down on the tiny bed that connected to the wall, "You don't have to like them. I mean come on, what if your roommates a cute girl. Aren't they coed dorms and stuff?"

He didn't notice how Kaworu's knee twitched as he began to open one of the meals, "Maybe I'll find a cute girl..." He looked up at the ceiling, "Get married, have kids. You know, normal stuff."

"Let's play a game Shinji." Shinji tilted his head, looking at Kaworu from the corner of his eye.

"What game?"

"Truth or dare."

He frowned, "That's a girl's game."

"It's not!" Kaworu protested.

Finally Shinji gave in, scarfing down the rest of his food and licking the corners of his mouth, "'Kay toy go first, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

Shinji sat there for a moment, why did he even want to play this stupid game? They usually just talked and watched tv, basking in each others company, "Uhh... I dare you to lick the floor."

It was comical how Kaworu's face went from smiling and defiant to fear and horror, "No... No no no no no..."

Shinji shifted his foot, kicking a pile of trash to the side, he then pointed to the empty area, "Lick."

His face looked green, it was easy when he had such pale skin, his red eyes glazed and dead like, "Sometimes I feel like you hate me Shinji..."

Shinji laughed as Kaworu stuck his tongue out and tasted the ground. He immediately stood up and grabbed a bottle of water, mockingly choking, "Ok, your turn. Truth or dar-"

"Truth." Shinji's response was disturbingly fast.

"O-oh okay..." Kaworu stuttered slightly, thinking to himself. Finally he got out, "Are you in love with anyone?"

He froze. What kind of a question was that?

"Nope." Shinji replied honestly, though something in the pit of his stomach turned, "I mean I still have a crush on Ayanami... But I mean come on that's nowhere close to love."

After that Kaworu didn't ask anymore questions like that. It was all dare. Shinji loved it but something had felt off, the way Kaworu sometimes didn't hear him as if he had been staring off into something else. And the way that Kaworu told him to go to bed even when it was obvious Kaworu wasn't.

A week passed by fast.


	2. His Despair

Six months.

It felt like years though. The old tiny apartment that Kaworu used to occupy now taken by some middle aged guy. He himself had moved out of his aunt and uncle's and started living in a small apartment, bigger than Kaworu's old one. Shinji worked at a convenience store a block away from his residence, so he didn't have to pay any money to get to and from his job.

When his pale friend had first left, he had texted him every night, telling him about the school he went to and how he would love it. He remembered how one of the small knots in his chest had strangely enough disappeared after Kaworu had told him that his roommate was a guy ten years older than him.

However, the messages began to come later and later. Every two days, three days, five days, a week...

It hit Shinji hard. Kaworu had a life, a life that Shinji could never dream of having though he so desperately wished he could. He thought about going to the collage, but he couldn't. He had excepted it already, he was not destined for anything great.

The store uniform was not exactly to Shinji's liking. It was white, green, and orange. It was really only a shirt and hat so he was able to wear whatever pants he wished, but the store's clothes were stiff and itchy.

Ding, ding.

The door to the store opened and Shinji's gaze shifted to it. He couldn't see exactly who came through as a few shelves obscured the view. He could hear it though, the sound of heels, a woman.

Rounding a corner, Shinji's eyes widened. Familiar blue hair dimmed by the fluorescent lights and he felt his cheeks heat up.

"Ayanami..."

Her red eyes blinked and her mouth curved into a smile, what a beautiful smile. She wore more professional attire, business skirt and blouse, a few barrettes on the sides of her thick blue hair.

"Shinji-kun." She greeted, looking to see if anyone else was around. Once again turning her attention to the brunet she said, "Asuka-kun said she got a hold of you."

He nodded, "What brings you..." He stopped for a moment, feeling embarrassed of his current surroundings to Rei, "Here."

"Asuka-kun told me about your current situation." She raised a hand to brush a small piece of hair from her face, "I wanted to offer you a job at my work."

Rei was amazing. She and Asuka had graduated long before he had. She worked at a large company, an executive non the less. Asuka on the other hand was a captain of the army, they shared an apartment as both were rarely ever home. They were both known as what you called; Married to the job.

However, Rei's proposal was not so nice to Shinji's ears. He didn't need help, that's why he was doing this.

He paused, trying to think rationally about it for a moment, "No, sorry." He gave a faint smile as he bowed, "Thank you though."

When he looked up Rei was smiling, a large, wide smile. It was dazzling, "I always loved that side of you Shinji-kun."

Loved.

"But... Shinji-kun. You need people, you can't keep hiding from us."

Ya right.

She herself then bowed, "It was wonderful seeing you again."

"You too, Ayanami..." He almost found himself whispering it for his voice was now hoarse and almost cracked when he spoke her name.

All he heard after that was the faint ding as the door closed behind her.

God he missed Kaworu.


End file.
